Onam will be celebrated for the
first time at Dharmakshetra on The 8th September, 2003.Onam is the festival
celebrated by the Malyalees welcoming their popular King who visits them to
find about their well being. The festival is celebrated in a big way at
Prashanti Nilayam wherein bus loads of devotees from Kerala visits and have
Darshan of our beloved LORD. Swami also blesses them with a special
discourse and a big feast is held for lakhs of people. In Mumbai the
celebration this year will be performed with a special Bhajan from 6.00 P.M.
onwards. All are welcome to attend the same.

Mahilas and Gents can dress up in
traditional Malayalee atire if they desire.

RAJEEV NAMBIAR

EXTRACTS FROM DIVINE DISCOURSE ON
ONAM

Emperor Bali based all his entire actions on truth. Looking upon his
subjects as his own children, he performed his duties. Bali was a very
generous person. He was compassionate and was a shining sun of truth. The
very fact of his reign in the land of Kerala is the cause for the prosperity
and happiness of the people there. He had conquered all the lesser gods with
his great prowess. He performed a sacrifice called Viswajit, in
commemoration of his victory, on the banks of the river Narmada. The Lord
incarnated as Vamana at that time. He was born as the son of the saintly
couple Kashyapa and Aditi. They lived in a hermitage known as Siddhashrama.
The young Vamana walked towards the site where Bali was performing the
sacred ritual.

Emperor Bali was an extremely
virtuous person. Though born in a family of demons, he was filled with
divine thoughts. It is the consequence of the great merits of Bali that is
manifesting as the benefits that people of Kerala enjoy today. Onam does not
mean merely the preparation of sweet pudding, various delicious dishes,
etc., and eating ourselves to the full. We must re-live the experience
of the encounter between Bali and Vamana. Today Vamana is supposed to be
physically present in the land of Kerala and hence this day should be
celebrated with gaiety and joy. We should lead an ethical, moral and
spiritual life. Sathyam Bruyath, Priyam Bruyath, Na Bruyath Sathyamapriyam
(speak the truth, speak pleasantly and do not speak unpalatable truth).
These three values are the ethical, moral and spiritual, respectively. All
the three values ultimately depend upon truth.

Emperor Bali attained his eternal
life through truth and love only. While the body perished, the mind remained
eternal. Body is like watering bubble, minding is like a mad monkey; don't
follow the body, don't follow the mind; follow your conscience. This is the
lesson of Bali's life.

DIVINE DISCOURSE ON AUGUST 31, 2001

EXTRACTS FROM DIVINE DISCOURSE

Bali was a noble king, one of selflessness and an ardent devotee. One who
seeks alms is considered small. Hence, even Lord Narayana had to assume the
form of a vamana (dwarf) when He went to beg for alms from Bali. The Pakshi
Vahana (the one who has Garuda as His vehicle) has Lakshmi, the goddess of
wealth on His chest. Yet He became very small and sought bhiksha (alms) from
Bali. He sought just three footsteps of land. Being small in stature,
his feet were even smaller. Yet He could measure the three worlds with His
three steps. Sage Sukracharya, the preceptor of Bali, cautioned him not to
yield to Vamana's request. He revealed that He was no ordinary being but
Lord Narayana Himself. But Bali did not pay heed to his counsel, saying it
was not proper for one to go back on one's promise. Having given his word,
he wanted to fulfil it, come what may. He even disobeyed his Guru and
offered himself to God. God has infinite potentialities. Nothing is
impossible for Him. Vamana occupied the three worlds with his footsteps.
The three worlds are represented by Bhur Bhuvah Suvah. Bhur stands for
material world. Bhuvaha represents the realm of thought, i.e., the mind.
Suvaha is the principle of the Atma. All three are contained in man

Kerala is the birthplace of
sacrifice and the centre of devotion and surrender. No beggar is turned away
empty-handed. Everyone does charity as per his capacity. It is this punya
bhumi (land of merit) that gave birth to Bali. There are many in this world
who perform bhudana, godana, annadana, vastradana, suvarnadana (giving away
land, cows, food, clothes and gold in charity). But emperor Bali performed
the supreme sacrifice by offering himself to God. With the passage of time,
there might have been a few changes, but, nevertheless, Kerala continues to
be the land famous for devotion and surrender. It is the birthplace of
Prahlada, the great devotee of the Lord. Even as Bali disobeyed the command
of his guru for the sake of God, Prahlada also went against the wishes of
his father and surrendered totally to the Lord. Many such noble souls have
taken birth in the sacred land of Kerala.

Kerala stands first in many
respects. Even the monsoon sets in in the land of Kerala first, before
spreading to the other states. Such a land is bound to be dear to God also.
One can experience the presence of Divinity in the land of Kerala.
Siddhashrama was the place where Emperor Bali, Lord Vamana. and Jamadagni
were born. The name Siddhashrama implies that it was the place of fulfilment
and success. That is why Viswamitra decided to perform penance there.
Siddhashrama attained eternal glory because of his penance. Not merely that,
many saints and sages were born there and performed penance. Not many are
aware of this. Viswamitra was initially a king. Later on, he renounced
everything and performed penance. He was called a Rajarishi. On seeing
Vasishtha ,who was called a Brahmarishi, Viswamitra resolved to earn the
same appellation.